TikToker Jessica (@jessimmar) said that she purchased a Cricut, a crafting machine, from Walmart for her mother. The sealed packaging looked normal from the outside, but when her mother opened the box, she found paint cans, a stained glass vase, plywood, and garbage.
When Jessica brought the box back to Walmart with proof of purchase, the cashier didn't believe her story.
"And she just went, 'Nope. Based on how our return policy works and based on how restock works, there's no way that could've happened,'" Jessica said of the cashier. "Well, it did."
In the video caption, Jessica said she spent about $400 on the machine and accessories for it. The TikTok has received over 980,000 views since it was posted on Dec. 28.
Walmart commented on the TikTok asking Jessica to direct message its TikTok account with the store location she bought the Cricut box from. In a follow-up video, she said that she communicated with Walmart via direct message and with a customer service representative.
She was told that the store manager would get in contact with her within 1-3 days. But after 4 days, she still had not heard back. Jessica also received a message from the Walmart TikTok account stating her case would be forwarded to "the correct team." She said she tried to give the Walmart representatives some time since the holiday season can be busy, but she planned on reaching back out for help.
"I'm not gonna give up," she said in the follow-up video. "But I do feel very defeated right now."
In an Instagram direct message to the Daily Dot, Jessica said Walmart emailed her asking for proof of purchase.
"That is pretty much it," she told the Daily Dot. She also said that she contacted Cricut and gave them the Cricut serial number on the box. "They said this device was registered and has been in use since October."
Commenters shared their theories for what they think happened.
"Someone definitely bought this, returned it [with] trash inside so the employees didn't notice," commented @tofusoul. "And then they restocked it."
"Walmart is the worst," wrote @ducle_does_it_all. "My friend bought a coffee machine & someone put their old one & returned it. When he complained. They accused him."
"[I've] seen this happen," commented @dreamtwist. "Returned items do get put on the shelf, and a lot of the time they're repacked with garbage."
Jessica said she agrees with that theory, and thinks an employee could have been responsible, too.
“I think it’s also possible an employee did this,” she told the Daily Dot. “And put it back so it would go under their scope and remain unopened until someone, like me, buys it.”
Many hoped that Jessica would get a refund.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Walmart.
This post has been updated with an additional comment from Jessica.
